Reinforced pallet

ABSTRACT

A reinforced pallet, formed of a pair of rectangular tubular members spaced by a channel-shaped member. A rigid foamed resin material capable of holding weight is placed in pockets within the tubular members.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Nicholas R. Neitzke Lakewood, Calif.

[21] Appl. No. 103,542

[22] Filed Jan. 4,1971

[45] Patented Dec. 21, 1971 [73] Assignee Weyerhaeuser Company Tacoma,Wash.

[54] REINFORCEDPALLET 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Flgs.

[52] [1.8. CI [51] Int. Cl [50] Field of Search 108/51-58 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,928,638 3/1960 Parker 108/523,079,877 3/1963 Doane 108/56 3,216,376 11/1965 Anderson et al 108/563,520,258 7/1970 Shepherd 108/58 3,552,328 1/1971 Su11ivan.....'. 108/58Primary Examiner Bobby R. Gay

Assistant ExaminerGlenn O. Finch An0rneys-Patrick D. Coogan, John M.Crawford, Stuart A.

Heller and Bryan C. Ogden ABSTRACT: A reinforced pallet, formed of apair of rectangular tubular members spaced by a channel-shaped member. Arigid foamed resin material capable of holding weight is placed inpockets within the tubular members.

.nlllllll BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1 Field of the Invention Acollapsible industrial platform.

2. Description of the Prior Art Sullivan US. Pat. No. 3,380,403 whichissued Apr. 30, 1968 discloses a pallet having a number of blocks offoamed polystyrene molding material sandwiched between two sheets ofcorrugated material. The blocks are spaced to allow passage of theprongs of a forklift truck for lifting and transferring a loaded pallet.The blocks are adhered to the upper and lower layers of corrugatedmaterial.

Anderson et al. US. Pat. No. 3,216,376 which issued Nov. 9, I965discloses a collapsible pallet formed of channelshaped members andtransverse members.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A collapsible pallet formed of twotubular members spaced by a channel-shaped member. The tubular membershave pockets which house rigid foamed styrene blocks. Two of the blocksare in the channel-shaped member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the blankof a tubular member.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the tubular member. Portions of themember have been cut away to show details of construction.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the blank of the channel-shaped member.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the channel-shaped member.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the rigid block.

FIG. 6 is a partially exploded isometric view of the pallet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The blank 10 of the tubular member11 is shown in FIG. 1. The blank is divided by score lines 12, l3, l4and 15 into a first bottom panel 16, and outerside panel 17, a top panel18, and inner side panel 19 and a second bottom panel 20. The blank 10is formed into the member 11 by being folded around the score lines. Thebottom panel 20 is then glued to the bottom panel 16 along glue line 21.The member may be collapsed for shipment and formed as shown in FIG. 2at its point of use.

Two of the tubular members 11 are spaced by the channel 30 shown in FIG.4. The channel is formed from a blank 31 which is scored longitudinallyalong lines 32, 33, 34 and 35 and bent around the score lines to form abottom wall 36, sidewalls 37 and 38, and upper flanges 39 and 40.

The pallet 80 is formed by inserting channel member 30 through thecentral aperture 50 in inner side panel 19 of the tubular member and tothe central section 51 of outer side panel 17. The sidewalls 37 and 38of the channel 30 are sized to the inner depth of the tubular member.

A central pocket 60 in the upper wall 18 is aligned with the channel 30.Thepocket 60 is formed by a pair of transverse flaps 61 and 62 hinged tothe upper wall along score lines 63 and 64, respectively, and a pair oflongitudinal flaps 65 and 66 hinged to the upper panel by score lines 67and 68, respectively. The flaps are separated from each other bydiagonal score lines 69, and bent inwardly to form sidewalls of thepocket.

The distance between the score lines 63 and 64 is substantially equal tothe distance between the outer edges of the upper flanges 39 and 40 ofthe channel-shaped member 30, allowing the pocket to fit snugly thechannel-shaped member. The block of rigid foam plastic material 70 shownin FIG. 5 fits snugly within the pocket.

Passageways for the prongs of a forklift are provided by the alignedside apertures and 81 in the inner and outer side panels 19 and 17,respectively. The outer apertures 81 are formed by pairs of flaps 82 and83. These flaps are defined in the outer panel 17 by a slit 84coextensive with score line 12, a slit 85 coextensive with score line13, and a slit 86 which separates the flaps 82 and 83. The flaps arebent inwardly around their respective score lines 87 and 88 to form theaperture 81.

Additional load-bearing capacity is provided by two additional blocks ofrigid foam plastic member 70 placed in the side pockets 90 of each ofthe tubular members. These pockets are aligned with central pocket 60and placed outwardly of the channel formed by apertures 80 and 81. Theconstruction of the pocket 90 is identical to the construction of thepocket 60. Transverse flaps 91 and 92 are hinged to the upper wall 18 byscore lines 93 and 94 and longitudinal flaps 95 and 96 are hinged byscore lines 97 and 98. The four flaps are separated from each other bydiagonal slits 99 and are bent inwardly to form sidewalls of the pocket.

Corrugated material is preferred in the construction of members 11 and30. Preferably, the flutes in the material extend transversely to thelongitudinal] score lines so that the flutes will be vertical in theside panels 17 and 19 of the tubular member and 37 and 38 of thechannel. The preferred material of the rigid foam plastic member 70 isfoamed polystyrene; however, other foamed plastic materials havingstructural strength may also be used.

What is claimed is:

l. A pallet comprising a pair of rectangular tubular members,

each of said tubular members having top and bottom faces, and outer andinner side faces extending therebetween,

said inner side faces facing each other and being parallel,

a central aperture in said inner side faces,

a channel-shaped member having upwardly extending sidewalls insertedinto said tubular members through said central apertures,

said upper face having a pocket formed therein, said pocket being inalignment with said channel member and having sidewalls extendingdownwardly into said channel member,

a weight-supporting member in said pocket.

2. The pallet of claim 1 in which said channel-shaped member has a pairof upper flanges extending inwardly from said sidewalls, said upperchannels being braced against a pair of opposing side walls of saidpocket.

3. The pallet of claim 1 in which said tubular members have pairs ofaligned apertures in said outer and inner side faces on each side ofsaid central aperture.

4. The pallet of claim 3 in which flaps extend inwardly from the sideedges of said apertures in said outer side faces.

5. The pallet of claim 3 in which said upper wall has a pair of pocketsaligned with said first pocket and placed outwardly of said alignedapertures,

said pockets having downwardly extending sidewalls, and

a weight-supporting member is in each of said pockets.

1. A pallet comprising a pair of rectangular tubular members, each ofsaid tubular members having top and bottom faces, and outer and innerside faces extending therebetween, said inner side faces facing eachother and being parallel, a central aperture in said inner side faces, achannel-shaped member having upwardly extending sidewalls inserted intosaid tubular members through said central apertures, said upper facehaving a pocket formed therein, said pocket being in alignment with saidchannel member and having sidewalls extending downwardly into saidchannel member, a weight-supporting member in said pocket.
 2. The palletof claim 1 in which said channel-shaped member has a pair of upperflanges extending inwardly from said sidewalls, said upper channelsbeing braced against a pair of opposing side walls of said pocket. 3.The pallet of claim 1 in which said tubular members have pairs ofaligned apertures in said outer and inner side faces on each side ofsaid central aperture.
 4. The pallet of claim 3 in which flaps extendinwardly from the side edges of said apertures in said outer side faces.5. The pallet of claim 3 in which said upper wall has a pair of pocketsaligned with said first pocket and placed outwardly of said alignedapertures, said pockets having downwardly extending sidewalls, and aweight-supporting member is in each of said pockets.